A t-shirt (or three) covered in nostalgia. A little stuffed raccoon that recognized something remarkable. A small pillow covered in barely legible, incredible vibrant signatures. A picture of summer/lifelong friends doing something totally goofy, out of the ordinary, wonderful.
These are the simple gifts our kids collect and keep from a summer at Weequahic. And the memories that endure through their lives that are forever young. These are moments they will look back upon and smile when the river of life has moved them a long way from their summers by the shore of Sly Lake.
Parents, what are some of the wonderful young memories of your past summers? Do you keep any of the simple gifts from that time? I’ve got a piece of driftwood found and given by a close friend in 1984 still on my closet shelf. Next to it is a perfect ‘skipping rock’ given by my younger brother that has yet to get damp.
We accumulate a lot of ‘things’ in this day and age. Most of the time, these ‘things’ just take up space in our physical world but have little hold or purchase in our internal lives. Marie Kondo instructs us to ask the question ‘does this spark joy?’ If the answer is not ‘yes’, then it’s time to part with it. That which remain can be simple gifts.
But those young memories? They can be as fresh as the daffodils that are blooming now at our winter office for many, many years. They can bring warmth to the cold days of winter and smiles to wind-chapped lips.
The key is to think on them often and use them in a way that propels you forward rather than having you stuck in the past. We humans are a pessimistic species. That trait – enlarging danger – kept us alive to get this historically easy way of life. That trait now holds us back from trying new things, expanding our worlds, and giving ourselves opportunities to really enjoy life and connections.
So, let’s make the decision to look back on those simple gifts, those young memories with a spark of joy. Let’s learn from didn’t work and focus more on the joy. Have a good weekend.
(PS – this was inspired a good bit from a new book that I enjoyed thoroughly – Theo of Golden. It’s a heart-warming, thought-provoking and recommended read.)
